Car-door mechanism



Patented June 24, 1930 PATT FFICE WILLIAM E. WIN, or TOLEDO, OHIO GAR-DOOR MECHANISM Applicaton filed August 1, 1928.

My invention relates to door mechanism 1:0r railway cars and is especially suitable for application to hopper aars, although it may advantageously be employed on aars of other type.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means which may be easily brought into operative association with the hopper door to maintain it in a plurality of different positions of closure 'or darnpening the discharge of ballast and other similar lading.

'Ihe principal feature of the invention consists in associating with any suitable car door mechanism flexible means cooperable with the door so as to support the latter in different positions of closure for dampening the discharge of lading.

Another feature of the invention consists in connecting to an immovable portion of the car body a chain device, each of the links of the chain being cooperable with a pro jecting part of the hinged door or maintaining the latter in different positions of closure for dampening the discharge of lading.

Other and more specifie features of the invention pertaining t advantageous forrns of construction and combinations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustratinga preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a hopper side sheet and swingingly mounted door showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentarydetail view, partly in section, showing the manner of securing the chain to the car body.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing the marmer of disconnecting the free end of the chain from a portion of the door mechanism.

Wliile the drawings illiistrate a single hopper and the adjacent edge of the co-acting door, it is to be understood that the constructon is preferably duplicated on the Seral No. 296,699.

opposite side of the car and that the door illustrated is but one of a pair of doors connected by a spreader or stiiening member s0 as to Swing as one.

In the drawings 1 is a sloping side sheet of the hopper and 2 is the swinging door for closing the discharge opening thereof. The door may be secured to the car body in any desired marmer (not shown) so as to swing to open position under the influence of gravity.

Mounted upon the outer free face of the door adjacent the free edge of the latter is a door spreader or stiflening member 3 which may conveniently be of Z-shape having its upstanding leg 4 secured to the door by rivets 5 and its web 6 disposed substantially norn1al to the plane of the door. Rigidly attached to the web 6 by rivets 7 is a door arrn member 8 whch is offset intermediate its ends, as at 9, to pass around the outstanding marginal reinforcing flanges 10 of the door. The outer end of the door arm 8 is of substantially channel form ha"ing upstanding legs 11 and 12, respectively, the

latter serving as a seat for cooperating with the hook 13 for maintaining the door in closed position.

Although the hook 13 which is pivotally connected to the door may be of any desired form, I prefer to employ one having a plurality of. ledges 141 and 15, respectively, for

cooperating with the upstanding leg 12 of the door arm to support the door in partially closed and in fully closed position. Interposed between the pivoted hoek 13 and the side sheet 1 of the hopper is a filler casting 16 which serves to space the hook outwardly from the latter so as to swing in a plane substantially parallel with the outer edge of the door and substantially normal to the main body portion there0f. Overlapping the 0uter face of the hook is a cover plate 17 having a plurality of inwardly projecting apertured lugs or.thirnbles 18, whicl engage the filler casting 16 for maintaining the cover. plate in spacedrelation there to to permit ree swinging movemerit of the hoek. Rivets 19 20 and 21 are referably employed for rigidly conncting t e fi1ler casting and.

the cover plate to the side sheet of the hopper by passing through the respective apertured lugs of the cover plate. The apertured lugs which receive the rivets 20 and2l in addition to unctioning as spacing means serve as pivotal supports for the hook 13 and the rotatable cam 22, the latter being employed for locking the hook in door-supporting position.

The cover plate 17 may be fashioned with an outwardly projecting lug 23, which is apertured at 24 for receiving a removable lever to assist in moving the door to fully closed position. As is well known, the door may be easily moved to a position such that it can be supported by the ledge 141 of the hook but considerable difiicnlty is often experienced due to vvarpage and distortion of doors of the character disclosed in movingthe door to a final position of closure. Thus, after the door is supported by the ledge 14: of the hook, the removable lever may be inserted through the aperture 24 of the lug 23 into engagement with a portion of the outer end of the door arm so that upon rotation of the lever in a clock-wise direction the door may be easily forced to closed position by the aid of the mechanical advantage thus obtained.

It is often desirable in discharging ballast or the like from hopper or other similar railvvay cars, to control and dampen thedischarge of the lading so that it may be deposited in predetermined places insmall quan t-ities. T0 this end a cl1ain of the usual type having a plurality of links 25 may be employed. All of the links 25 of the chain are of uniorm size, except the one designated by the numeral 26, which is secured to the car body by the plate or member 27, rivets 19 and 20 serving to attach the latter to the cover plate. At its forward end the member 27 is provided vvith an inwardly projecting lug 28 which is adapted to engage the outer face of the cover plate 17, the projection 28 being formed with a forward extension 29 to prevent rotation of the link 26. Adjacent its outer end the upstanding leg 12 of the door arm is fashioned vvith a cutout portion or slot 30 adapted to cooperate With the links of the chain to support the door in various positions of closure to properly dampen the discharge of ballast and the like from the car hopper. The links are so proportioned that all with the exception of tl1e one adjoining thelink 26 may be rotated a sufficient amount to permit them to alternatively be inserted in the slot 30. The manner in which the links respectively cooperthat means is thus provided for supporting the door in any one of a plurality of positions whereby the discharge of lading may be dampened. When it is desired to permit the door to swing open to the dotted line position shovvn in Figure 1, the link therein shovvn as cooperating with the door arm is inserted inthe slot 30 ofthe latter before the hook is moved to door-releasing position. When this latter operation ocours, the chain Will be moved into the dotted line position shovvn in Figure 1 and the door thereby supported as illustrated.

The member 27 employed for securing the chain to the car body is fashioned with a rearwardly projectinglug 31 for r eceving one of the links 25 of the chain so as to sup" port the latter in inoperative posi tion. T0 prevent the chain from. being accidentally disconnected from the lug 31 by the jarring 01 vibratory action of the car,the outer end of the lug is preferably enlarged, as clearly shovvn at 32 in Figure 1. When it is desired to disconnect the engaged link from the lug 31 it must be rotated through an angle of ninety degrees from the. position shown in Figure 1 and then moveol in the manner indicated in Figurel.

From the forgoing it Will be perceivedthat although the mechanism employed for dampening tl1e discharge of lading is of simple and rugged construction it Will efliciently perform its intended functions.

I claim:

1. In a railvvay car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a door for closing the opening, the door being movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechansm ior retaining the door in closed position involving a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and an arm rig idly secured to the door provided with an upwardly projecting flange engageable with the hook, said flange being provided with a slot, and a chain secured to the car body having a plurality of links, the latter loeing adapted to be insertedin said slot of the door arm to support the door in a plurality of positions of closure for dampening the discharge of lading from the car.

2. In a railway car having a ladingdis charge opening, the combination witha door for closing the opening movable to open position under the influence of gravity, of mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving an arm carried by the door and a hook pivotallymounted on the. car body, a cover plate overlyng. the Outer face of the hook and provided with means aflording a pivotal support therefor, a.mem-

loer secured to said cover plate, and a chain interposed between the said member and plate, said chain being cooperable with the said arm, upon disengag'ement of the hook therefrom, to support thedoorin a plurality of positions of closure for dampening the discharge of lading from the car.

3. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, the combination with a door for closing the opening movable to open position under the influenoe of gravity, of mechanism for supporting the door in closed position involving an arm carried by the door and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body, a cover plate overlying the outer face of the hook and provided vvith means affording a pivotal support thereor, a member overlappingly secured to said cover plate having 21 portion spaced therefrom, means extending between the spaced portions of said member and cover plate, and a chain carried by said means, said ohain being cooperablewith the door arm, upon disengage ment of the hook therefrom, to support the door in a plurality of positions of closure f0r dampening the discharge of lading from the aar.

4:. In a railway car having a lading diseharge opening, the combination with a door for closing the opening movable to open position under the influence 0 gravity, of mechanism f'or supporting the door in closed position involving an arm carried by the door and a, hook pivotally mounted on the car body, a cover plate overlying the outer face of the hook and provided with means aording a pivotal support therefor, a member overlappingly secured to sad cover plate, said member having an inwardly projecting lug abutting said cover plate, and a ohain carried by said lug, the chain being oooperable with the door arm, upon disengagement of the hook therefrom, to support the door in a plurality of positions of closure or clampening the discharge of lading from the car.

5. In a railway oar having alading discharge opening, the combination with a door for closing the opening movable to open position under the nfluence of gravity, of mechanism 'or supporting the door in closed positon involving an arm carried by the door and a hook pvotally mountecl on the car body, a cover plate overlying the outer ace of the hook and provicled vvith means affording a pivotal support therefor, a member seoured to said cover plate, and a chain interposed between the member and cover plate, said ehain being cooperable vvith the door arm, upon disengagement of the hook therefrom, to Support the door in a plurality of positions of closure for dampening the discharge of lading from the car, said member being provided With a portion or supporting the chain in inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aflx my s1gnature.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

